Payment of Destruction
by SarahElizabethPetersen
Summary: This is the back story of Sereniel Talelenseer, a powerful sorcerer elf.


Sereniel watched as a lilac butterfly drank the nectar of a white flower. She watched its feathered antennas stiffen as the wind made the flower sway. Sereniel didn't understand why she could see every detail of the butterfly's face and others could not. As a child she had feared there was something wrong with her, she feared she would be declared a demon and executed. So she kept her enhanced senses a secret, and she despised having to hide who she really was. She hated having to be ordinary when she knew she was destined to be extraordinary.

Tilting her head to the side, Sereniel listened. She heard heavy footsteps coming towards her; she knew who those heavy rushed steps belonged to. It was Bron.

"I knew I would find you here," Bron said.

Sitting up, Sereniel studied Bron. His green eyes were wide with concern, and his red hair fell around his shoulders as if he didn't have time to secure it at the base of his neck. His clothing looked like it had been put on in a rush.

"What has happened?" she asked.

"Some men were here asking questions about Pellaur's families. Hodge told them about your family, and the men left in a hurry."

Sereniel frowned, her hazel eyes darkening. Pellaur was an old farming village. Many of Pellaur's villagers had lived here their whole lives, except for Sereniel's family; they had come to live in Pellaur when she was only a small child.

Bron had been saying something to Sereniel, but she didn't hear him. She was listening to dozens of horse hooves draw near to Pellaur. War horses and soldiers were coming.

"Where's my father?" Sereniel shouted at Bron.

"He's—he's at the inn."

Sereniel gathered her skirt into her hands and began running. Her deep brown her whipped out behind her as she ran as fast as her feet could carry her. Late at night, Sereniel heard her parents whisper about the day when the soldiers from Carncar would find them. Sereniel didn't know why the King of Carncar would come for her father; but that didn't matter anymore, the soldiers were coming.

She reached the inn, her hazel eyes searching for her father. He was seated by the fireplace smoking from his pipe.

"Father," she called, drawing his attention. "The soldiers are coming, we need to flee."

"It's far too late for that, my daughter." Her father's eyes held a lifetime of hidden despair. "It is time for me to stop running from the King, it is time for me to pay for my sins."

"I don't understand." Sereniel knelt before her father, and she stared up into his gray eyes.

"You will," her father took his daughter's hands in his. "I hope that after you've heard the truth you will forgive me for what I have done and what I will do."

A question danced across Sereniel's tongue, but she did not get to ask it.

"Berandle Talelenseer?"

Sereniel looked to her father, but he turned away from her. She knew the stories about Berandle Talelenseer. Feeling betrayed by her father's secret, Sereniel pulled her hands away from her father.

"Berandle Talelenseer, by the order of King Darzem you are charged with high treason and you are to appear before the King to answer for your crimes against the crown." The man that spoke stood in the doorway of the inn. He wore heavy plated armor, and a white tunic that bore the King's crest.

Fear prickled down Sereniel's spine as she studied the crest; it was of a snake coiled around a sword. That crest had plagued her dreams ever since she was a child.

Berandle stood, stretching his arms out so another man in armor could chain his hands.

"Cuilwen Talelenseer, you have been charged with treason and you are to be brought before King Darzem."

Sereniel's mother had appeared behind Sereniel. Stepping forward, Cuilwen allowed herself to be put in chains. A tear escaped Sereniel's eye as she watched her parents being led away from the inn.

"Sereniel Talelenseer."

Something deep inside Sereniel stirred. With her true name spoken, Sereniel felt an ancient power begin to wake.

"Sereniel Talelenseer, you have been declared a danger to the city of Carncar. King Darzem demands you return to Carncar where you will stand before the King, he will decide your fate."

Sereniel slowly rose to her feet. She tilted her head to the side to get a better look at the man's sneer; she didn't like his sneer. Color drained from the man's face as a scream ripped from his throat. Sereniel watched him drop to the floor, she watched as his lips melted off his face, and she smiled when the man stopped moving. Sereniel saw her father's fear filled face a moment before everything went dark.

* * *

Berandle Talelenseer had been loyal to King Darzem since he was a prince. No one knew the truth behind Berandle's decision to turn against the King and flee Carncar. Even Sereniel had been lied to.

The Talelenseer families had been brought into the throne room, and were waiting for the King to arrive to pass his judgment. Sereniel's body was bound in chains. Wards had been placed around her in order to hold her magic at bay, but the wards were weak.

King Darzem entered the throne room. He wore a golden crown of jewels upon his head, his robe was the richest purple Sereniel ever laid eyes on, and he walked with a fool's confidence. He stood before Sereniel, looking over her with curious eyes. He only saw a girl with dull brown hair, plain hazel eyes, and a face that was pleasing to the eye but by no means beautiful.

"Tell me, Berandle," the King turned away from Sereniel, "how long did you think you could run from me?"

Berandle's eyes narrowed on the King, but he did not answer.

"Cuilwen, was it you that cast the spell to conceal your daughter's magic?"

Cuilwen glared at the King.

Sereniel looked to her parents; she wanted to know what the King's words meant.

The King walked toward his throne as he spoke. "Berandle, will you tell your daughter about the prophecy or shall I?"

"What is he talking about?" Sereniel's voice was but a whisper in the great throne room.

"Cuilwen, it's time." Berandle said as his gaze fell to the stone floor.

"Unfana," Cuilwen said. Shimmering light danced from Cuilwen's hands, the light wrapped itself around the Talelenseer family.

Sereniel looked to her father; he seemed to have aged a hundred years in only a few moments. But he wasn't ageing, he was changing. His ears grew pointed, his eyes turned a stunning shade of blue, all the wrinkles on his face vanished, and hands became slim and delicate. Sereniel saw her mother's plain appearance fade away. Cuilwen's eyes were as green grass, her hair a lush dark brown, her ears became pointed, and her features become strikingly beautiful. Sereniel couldn't tear her eyes away from the elves that took her parents place.

"Bring Sereniel a looking glass," the King said.

A servant held a small mirror up so Sereniel could see herself. Sereniel gasped at what she saw. Her hair was silky brown, her eyes a captivating hazel, her cheekbones were sharp, her nose fit her face perfectly, and her ears were pointed. Sereniel didn't recognize the person staring back at her.

"You need to know the history of the Talelenseer bloodline in order to fully understand the prophecy." Berandle's eyes never wavered from Sereniel as he spoke. "The first of the Talelenseer bloodline, Carn, used an ancient spell from the god of stars to create Carncar. Carn was naïve; he did not know that the god of stars would demand payment for casting his spell. So Carn struck a deal with the god of stars, and he promised to pay the debt when Carncar reached its thousandth year. Today marks the day of Carncar's thousandth year.

"This knowledge was passed down to each member of the Talelenseer bloodline; and we have all searched for a way to pay Carncar's debt. I thought I had been close to finding a solution, but my years of searching bore no fruit." Berandle's hands trembled but his words came out strong. "On the day of your birth, I was shown Carncar's inevitable future. _The star of Talelenseer will return Carncar to ash and dust, the debt owed will be repaid. _That prophecy was spoken only to me, and I kept it a secret for as long as I could.

"When I learned you were named Sereniel, I knew that somehow the prophecy would be fulfilled through you. I knew that King Darzem would kill every person with Talelenseer blood when he learned the truth. So I deceived the King. I informed the king that the god of stars would collect his payment by setting one of his warriors upon Carncar. While the King prepared to face off with the god of stars, I planned our escape."

Berandle clasped his trembling hands together. "My plan was to flee Carncar and never return. I had hoped that by fleeing Carncar would not be destroyed and that our lives were safe from the king. On the night we fled I was informed that King Darzem knew the real prophecy; the King would kill us if he captured us."

Cuilwen bowed her head and began speaking. "I cast a spell to disguise ourselves as humans. No one would take a second look at three humans while searching for three elves. Your father and I are great sorcerers, and we feared the day when your magic would awaken. So your father and I searched for a spell to contain your magic until you were old enough to know the truth. Your father locked away part of your magic with a complicated spell that can only be broken by him; and I cast a simple spell on your remaining magic that would be broken by someone speaking your true name. That spell has already been broken."

It wasn't a question but Sereniel nodded her head anyway.

"I'm sorry, we have kept who you truly are a secret until now," Berandle said. "My heart knew you would one day learn the truth, but I had hoped that day would never come."

The guilt her parents felt was displayed on their faces, but Sereniel was surprised to find that she did not feel betrayed. She understood her parent's choice to hide; she understood their need to protect her.

A slow clap drew Sereniel's attention to the throne. "What a touching story," King Darzem said. "Now, it is time end this before Carncar is destroyed."

Anger stirred in Sereniel's heart. She felt her magic burn in her veins; it was begging to be used after being concealed for so many years. Rising to her feet, Sereniel said, "Fifyna."

The chains binding Sereniel melted away, and the wards around her broke with a flash of bright light. She pointed at her parents, and their bonds were broken.

"Seize them!" King Darzem shouted.

The King's men drew their swords, while women ran from the throne room.

"Nelalthir Isiliagaas," Berandle whispered.

"Kill him! Kill him now!" King Darzem screamed, pointing to Berandle. "Silence him or his spell will kill us all!"

"Nelalthir Isiliagaas."

A wave of heat blasted the King's men back; the heat would not allow them near the Talelenseers. Sereniel turned to her father, the words he spoke ignited something inside of her.

"Nelalthir Isiliagaas." Cuilwen joined Berandle's steady chant.

"Archers! Kill them all!" The King's words could no longer be heard over Berandle's chant.

"Nelalthir Isiliagaas," Sereniel tested the spell on her lips. Liquid fire raced through her as an overflowing river of magic poured into her. She knew her parents were pouring their magic into her; she knew they were giving her the power to get them away from King Darzem. "Nelalthir Isiliagaas," Sereniel joined in her parents chant. She felt her magic leaving her as she brought her family away from Carncar. As one they let out one final cry.

"NELALTHIR ISILIAGAAS!"

Sereniel did not how long she had been sleeping, and she did not know what had pulled her from her sleep. Rising to her feet, Sereniel looked around. Gray clouds hung low in the sky, gray fog filled the air, and the gray earth was soft beneath her feet.

"Mother? Father?" she called.

There was no reply.

Sereniel took a step forward, something crack beneath her boot. She knelt down to get a better look at it. It was a bone. Frowning, she touched the ground only to find what she thought was dirt was truly ash and dust.

A cry stuck in her throat; tears burned her eyes.

"_The debt has been paid."_

Sereniel tried to find the source of the voice, but she saw only the gray haze surrounding her.

"The debt has been paid?" As the words left Sereniel's mouth she understood their meaning.

Carncar has been returned to ash and dust. The god of stars received his payment.

Sereniel buried her face in her hands as sobs overtook her. The spell her father had chanted released Sereniel's remaining magic and destroyed Carncar. After every precaution he took to keep the prophecy from coming true, he ended up being the one to bring about Carncar's destruction. Sereniel wept not because Carncar had come to its inevitable end, but because her parents had died. She thought she had been saving them when she joined in their chanting, but she had been wrong. Her mistake was paid for with her parents' lives. She could still feel her parents' power inside of her, she hated it.

Sereniel jumped to her feet, and she ran from what remained of Carncar. She ran until her body could go no further. She collapsed by the edge of a pond. She lowered her head to drink from the pond but froze when she saw her reflection.

Slate gray eyes back at Sereniel. Her brown hair was now whiter than snow, her tanned skin was now leached of all color, and her hazel eyes were now slate gray. Her new appearance was a result of her father's spell. She had destroyed Carncar, and Carncar had destroyed the light inside of her. Sereniel thought it was somehow poetic, or the god of stars cruel joke.


End file.
